The date seemed to be going pretty well apart from the fear I had in my mind that wouldn't let me enjoy this date as much as I should.

Arnav was doing everything he could to make it perfect for me, but at the back of my mind I knew I had betrayed him, his entire life he had asked me for one thing, never to maintain contact with his family and I did the exact opposite.

Now he was going to hate me like he hated them. I mean why did I have to be so stupid sometimes? Why couldn't I just do what I was told to do?

"You seem lost Shona." Arnav said as he looked at me curiously.

"Nothing, I'm just wondering what next you have planned for us." I lied.

"Don't worry, you'll find out soon. We should get going anyway, I'll call for check and then we leave okay?" He smiled to which I nodded. He called the waiter and asked for the check and paid for the dinner then we both headed out, I dint know what he had planned next but I knew him better to know that his date wouldn't be just a usual dinner.

He slid his hand slowly to mine and held it into his entwining our fingers together, I looked at him as he smiled at me.

Once we got to the parking lot, he opened the door for me and then let my hand go so I could get it, I dint want him to leave my hand, it felt so good.

He rushed towards the driver's seat and in no time, we were on the road heading somewhere, I dint ask him where we were going, I just sat silently in the car looking outside at the beautiful city lights.

"Are you comfortable with this whole date thing Shona? I mean if you aren't, we don't have to go this other place I am taking you to." Arnav looked at me.

"I'm good Arnie, don't worry" I smiled at him, he nodded as he continued driving.

After a few more minutes of driving, we finally arrived at the beach. So he was bringing me to the beach, I've always heard about how dates were pretty romantic at the beach, today I was going to experience it.

He parked the car and then rushed to open the door for me, he held out his hand for me to hold which I held, and then we both headed towards the ocean, walking slowly as the moon shined on the water creating a beautiful view.

"So... why did you bring me here?" I asked after we stopped walking.

"Because... the dinner date was just a formality, things like this are way better dates. Walking with each other at the beach under the moonlight and talked about stuff... that's my kind of date.

But I couldn't just bring you here without feeding you, so that's why the dinner first." He smiled, still holding my hand. I felt this tingly kind of feeling in my heart, I liked the way he was holding my hand, it was... romantic.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he laughed as he noticed how I had been staring at him.

"I never knew I could feel this way about you... I mean in a romantic way. How long have you had the feelings?" I asked.

"Quite long... a few years maybe. I mean at first I dint understand it, but you know all the things I do, date random girls and stuff, so it was the time when I dated the first girl ever.

I just dint really want to be with her, I mean she was beautiful and everything but I wasn't attracted, and then I tried going out with a couple more girls but it just never felt right.

I dint really know at that time, but then slowly I figured it out, I started getting jealous when I'd see any guy trying to talk to you or stuff so... I scared them all.

Told them if anyone ever tries to approach you, they would face my bad side, I remember even fighting some of them that dint want to listen to me." He laughed.

Wow, I really never had an idea that he had been having feelings for me for all these years.

"After all that realization, I really wanted to tell you but I was scared... what if you dint understand me... what if our friendship broke? What if you dint feel the same towards me? I dint want to lose my best friend Shona.

So I started flirting with every girl that would approach me, most of the times I would do it in front of you so I could see if you felt anything for me or not.

I did it so many times but you always seemed okay with it and happy about it, and it made me so mad I started doing it more but still no difference.

I was almost giving up, I decided maybe I was controlling your life for my own selfish reasons, I mean if you had to fall for me, it would have happened but it didn't. So I thought I'd just stop threatening guys and maybe let them approach you so that for once maybe you could date someone, even if not me.

And then Armaan approached you, I dint threaten him because I wanted you to have the chance, but then it drove me so crazy, it hurt really bad seeing how happy you were about going to the date with him and all.

I just couldn't get it, I was your best friend, I did everything to make you happy, yet you never felt anything like that to me, why did you have to feel it for Armaan?

So I got drunk... really bad. I wasn't trying to sabotage whatever you had with him, I just had so much pain and I dint know how to deal with it, so I acted stupidly. But I think it was good that I got drunk, if I hadn't, I would have never been able to tell you about my feelings." He smiled at me.

"What if I hadn't agreed to come on this date with you?"

"Then nothing... I would know that you dint feel for me the way I did for you."

I just looked at him silently not knowing what to do or say, he was so open about his feelings today, and I wanted to do the same, I wanted to tell him that the reason why I agreed to come was because I had started liking him too, it happened out of nowhere but it did.

"Let's take a walk." He said as he started walking and pulled me along, I walked beside him still wondering if it was the right time to tell him, the only thing worrying me was the secret.

"So are so silent today Shona. If you still aren't attracted to me I would understand it, it wont affect our friendship I promise." He looked at me nervously.

"It's not that Arnie."

"Then what is it? You seem different today, not the usual you."

"I am just thinking... what happened if we do this..."

"If we do what?" he stopped walking and looked at me seriously. I wasn't sure I was doing the right thing but I had to tell me, he was my best friend, he had hidden his feelings for so long and when he had finally let them out, I dint want to leave him in suspense, it would just torture him.

"A few days back, I started feeling what you said you had years back. At first it was weird but then I started understanding it, you flirted with all those girls to make me jealous, it never worked in all these years but a few days ago it started working.

I was scared Arnie, I thought if I told you that I had started feeling this way about you, it would affect our friendship so I did all I could to get rid of those feelings.

One reason why I even agreed to go on that date with Armaan was because I wanted to get rid of those feelings." I sighed.

"So you... like me? I mean in a romantic way?" he looked at me hopefully.

"I guess... I'm not saying anything for sure right now... I just have a lot to figure out, but I told you this because I thought you should know."

"Really?" he looked at me with a huge smile.

"You had no idea how happy you've just made me, I love you so much Khushi." He said excitedly as he pulled me closer to him and held me tightly into his arms.

I loved this hug, it wasn't the usual best friend type hug, it had feelings attached to it, and as soon as he hugged me, I felt goosebumps all over.

"Sorry, I got over excited." She smiled as he broke the hug and looked at me nervously.

"The nervous Arnav is cute." I smiled as I pinched on his cheeks making him pout.

"No touching my hot face Shona." He smirked. I rolled my eye at him and then we just continued to take a walk all around the beach.

We talked about a lot of stuff, a little bit more about our feelings too and we decided to take it a bit slow meanwhile, I just needed to figure out a way to deal with my secret first before anything could get serious.

Who was I kidding though? He was my best friends first, thing between us were serious already weren't they?

"Come, I'll drop you home." He said after a while. I nodded as I followed him back to the car and he drove me to my house.

*****

As my best friend, Arnav was an idiot, he would always be mean to me and sometimes he would be caring, sometimes he would steal my food and play stupid pranks on me, but as a date, Arnav was such a gentleman, like all the times that we got in and out of the car, he was the one that rushed to open the door for me.

I stepped out of the car and looked at him with a smile, the date wasn't so big or out of the ordinary but that's what was great about it, it was ordinary just like us, and it was perfect.

"So... I'll see you tomorrow." He said.

"Yeah... I'll see you tomorrow." I replied with a nervous smile, the way he was looking at me so intensely, it kind of made me wonder what he was thinking.

He walked towards me instead of heading back to his car, stood close to me and looked me into the eyes.

"I was thinking..." He said it in a whisper.

"Hmm."

"I know we said we'll take this slow, but it had been really slow for me." He pouted making me smile once again.

"What is going on in that little head of yours." I asked.

"This." He said as he grabbed me by the waist with one hand and the other one was already on my face, his thumb stroking my lips lightly.

"Wouldn't... umm... wouldn't it be awkward?" I asked nervously.

"We wouldn't know unless we try it." He smirked, still brushing his thumb on my lips and that was kind of making me feel things I dint know I was capable of feeling.

He bent towards my face, bringing his mouth closer to mine, I inhaled a sharp breath, wow... I was quite nervous.

"Do you want this Shona?" he asked.

I dint even have the voice to speak, so instead I just nodded, at this moment I dint even care if it was a bad decision, I wanted it. As soon as I nodded positively, he smashed his lips against mine, with his other arm that was on my waist, he flipped me and pushed me so I was leaning on the car and then he went all crazy on my lips. He kissed me so passionately, so deeply, with his tongue exploring each and every corner of my mouth, his lips continuously brushing against mine, and this was when I knew, nothing between us was going to be slow anymore.

The best part about it was that it wasn't awkward.